The weekly sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1886-1887, 1887-06-16

Poison Eating as Pract1ced Among the
Peasants of Europe-The Excuses
Made by the Devotees of Arsenic-othef
Poisons Used.
1t is not generally known to what an
alarming extent poison eating is pfactlced
in this country as well as in Europe. In
some Of the districs of lower Austria, and
in Styria especially in the mountainous
parts there prevails the habit OF eating
arsenic. The peasantry are particularly
given to it, They obtain it under the
name of hedri, from travelling hucksters
and gatherers OF herbs, who, on their
part, procure it from the glass blowers or
from the low doctors or mountebanks.
The arsenic eater has q twofold aim in
the dangerous enjoyment, one of which is
the desire to obtain fresh: healthy APP
pearance and acquire certain degree Of
embOnpOint, and on this account lads and
1asSieS in the European countries employ
the agent that they may become nofe
attractive to each other, and their en-
tieaYors are attended with astonishing re.
suits, for the poison eaters are, generally
speaking, distinguished by a fresh COM
plexion. and have the appearance of eXu-
berant health Not long since Il farm
servant, who was thin and pale, but well
and healthy, wished to make herself more
attractive to her lover, and i'll order to
obtain y more pleasing exterior, Swal-
lowed every week several doses of ar
senic. The desired result was obtained.
In q few months she was quite according
to her lovers taste. In order to increase
the effect she increased the dose of ar
senic, and fell victim to her vanity. She
was poisoned and died distressing death.
DEATHS FROM ARSENIC.
The number of deaths in consequence of
the im1nWlerate enjoyment of arsenic is
not inconsiderable, especially among the
Young. Whether it arises from fear of
the law, which forbids the unauthorized
possession of arsenic, or whether it be
that an inner voice proclaims to him his
sin, the arsenic eater always cOnceals as
much possible the use of it. The Euro
pean peasants say they eat it to make
themselves .'better winded' that is, to
make the respiration easier when ascend
ing the mountains. Whenever they have
far to go and to mount a considerable
height they take minute morsel of
arsenic and allow it to gradually dissolve
in the mouth. They say the effect is sur
prising, and they ascend with ease heights
which otherwise they could climb only
with distress to the chest.
The dose with which the poison eaters
begin consists of rather less than hall a
grain. and then the quantity is increased
according to the effect produced. | re-
| Gently learned OF q man OF ~ years VINO
at present takes at every dose a piece
| about the weight of four grains. For
| forty years he has practiced the habit,
! which he inherited from his father, and
! he, in all probability, will bequeath the
! same to his children. 1t is stated that
neither in these nor III other poison eaters
| is there the least trace of an arsenic
| cacheEy discernible, and that the symp-
toms of chronic arsenical poisoning
/ never show themselves in individuals who
adapt the dose to their constitution, even
/ though that dose should be considerable,
but when from inability to obtain the acid
or other cause the perilous indulgence is
stopped, there appear symptoms of illness
| which have the closest resemblance tC
those produced by arsenic poisoning. These
! symptoms consist principally in Il feeling
| of general discomfort, attended by Il per
feet Indifference to all surrounding per
sons and things, great personal anxiety
and various distressing sensations arising
from the digestive organs, lack of ap
petite a constant feeling that the stomach
is overloaded in the morning, a burning
from the pylorus to the throat, pains il
the stomach and particularly great diff
Guilty in breathing. For all these symp
toms there is but one remedy-a return
to the use of arsenic.
OTHER i'OIe<J1E1+ USED